Drifting
by Niko
Summary: Heero and Duo are stranded in a ship going nowhere. When Heero thinks he can fix it, will Duo be enough to stop him? Yaoi/Shonen Ai


Drifting  
~*~  
Space. What an odd name. Was it named because it's the space between the planets and colonies? Or perhaps because some scientist couldn't think of something creative and left nothing but a space in the category that specified the name of the new discovery. Ya know, now that I think about it, there are a lot of better thing a person could name Space. Like.. I don't know.. void. It lacks sound and hamburger stands. I'd call that a void. Then again, so does this damn shuttle. Just me and Heero and my empty stomach. If it wasn't for me and my endless chatter, I think we'd have lost contact with our sanity a long time ago. Why'd those engines have to blow, huh? Not that the thought of me and Heero stranded in outer-space alone till Peace-Million Neo comes around isn't at all unpleasant. I just wish he'd say _something_! I ask a question and it's "Hm." or "Mm." and sometimes, just for a change, he'll grace me with a, "Mn." Such an extensive vocabulary. Oh, but how can one forget "Omae o korosu" or that intolerable, "Duo, shut up.". I don't think he realizes that without me, the only sound around here would be his typing and the damned thrusters when he tried to test 'um out again. I'm so under appreciated. Maybe I should just shut up one of these days and see how much he likes it. He's been asking for it long enough. Literally. Damnit, and of all people I consider _him_ my best friend. I must have a screw loose. Talk about a love-hate relationship! I shoot him, he damages Deathscythe. I rescue him from the enemy, he steels parts from my Gundam. He saves me, I give him a ride to the next mission. We board together at schools, play basketball, blow shit up, get tossed into space... I tell him to kill me and he saves me instead. He stays with me while I recuperate, at least till I can move on my own. Then we blow more shit up. I think that was my favorite part of the war. That and trying to figure out where I'd see Heero next and what he'd do this time to surprise me. Usually one of us would look like we'd been rung through a meat grinder. Usually that one of us was me. Sometimes though, I honestly though I saw concern in his eyes. And then the time when Treize's kid tried to take over the colonies and Earth, me and Heero got to work side by side. Punching me in the gut wasn't very nice. Using me to escape then leaving me to be caught and jailed wasn't very nice either. But he had asked me to hit him first so he wouldn't feel bad about punching me in the gut. Guess I should have known better than to hit all-powerful and inhuman Heero Yuy. I was asking for a broken nose or sore stomach. Now, on to today's topics of concern, I am starving! It's gotten to the point where I dream of Heero's laptop being cooked over an open fire. That or Heero lounging in a big bowel of chocolate ice-cream dressed in nothing but whipped cream and wearing a cherry hat. I don't think that last one's my stomach fault though. Gee, he looks really cute when he sleeps. That one piece of his bang that hangs by his nose always tickles it at night, causing his face to scrunch and make the cutest expressions. I wonder if he knows that? I should get a camera. If nothing else, I could use it for blackmail. I'm sure a great many fans of his would love to get their hands on a few select snap shots I've already accumulated. Relena would die. I've got one of Heero eating. His mouth is really big in that one and he's got a hamburger handing half way out. I had to tape it back together though. He.. um.. found it. Man, now there a face that I'd love to have immortalized on film! I don't know whether he was more pissed at me for taking the pic or more astonished that I had kept it all these years and not told anyone about it. He still ripped it and I got a punch in the nose. I should have know that would happen too though. Lets see, what else.... Heero with a puppy in his shirt, now that's cute! There's the one in my room right now that's of Heero and me. He found that one too. I just told him I liked it cause my cheeks didn't resemble those of chipmunks in that particular one. I didn't happen to mention the fact that I also like it cause I've got my arm around him and instead of pushing me away, he's actually leaning into me. That was during the peaceful times. It's not exactly like we're at war here, but sending Heero and me out to get secret data on the new Felia corporation doesn't exactly account for total peace. Being shot at by mobile suits as we left didn't help much either. At least we got away before the engine decided it had had enough.   
  
"Duo?"   
  
Duo's head snapped back to the spacial view of the cockpit, a crimson rise of color darkening his cheeks. He'd been caught starring again.  
  
"Heh heh, have a nice nap? I thought about waking you up but I know how cranky you get and it's bad enough having to be stranded out here in the middle of nowhere with you let alone a Heero Yuy in a bad mood. So, any dreams ya'd like to share? It's the closest thing we've got to TV till Quatre can get the PeaceMillion Neo here."  
  
"Hm."  
  
"Hm, hm, hm," Duo threw his arms behind his head, "I swear you're as predictable as rain on the colonies. Fine then, I'll just go back to entertaining myself if you've got nothing to contribute to a conversation. Hmph, like that's a change. I shouldn't even be calling this a conversation. That implies two people speaking to each other and from what I can remember, I'm the only one who ever does any talking around here. About all your good for is ignoring me completely of ordering me to shut up."  
  
Heero starred at him. The expression harbored no ill intent and was purely a look of interest. Duo caught it out the corner of his eyes and forced a nervous smile, "I take it you're listening to me this time. That's a nice change. You wanna take it any further and try saying something two letters in length?"  
  
Heero stood, "I'm going outside."  
  
Duo's smile lengthened, "A sentence! Wow, don't I feel honored! Excuse me for asking though but why are you going outside? If ya haven't noticed, we're in outer space. Not much air out there though I hear there's plenty of places to visit if you're up for a walk. Venus is supposed to be lovely this time of year."  
  
Heero rolled his eyes, "I'm going to work on the engines. We've done about all we can on interior repairs. Someone should take a look at the exterior hull to see if there's anything we can fix out there."  
  
"You say someone but I know you mean is you." Duo prompted his legs onto the inactive control board, "But like I said before, Heero, you can't fix what you haven't the parts for and we don't have any parts. You wanna go play Super Heero and prove me wrong though be my guest."  
  
Heero grabbed a helmet and snapped it into place.  
  
"Whoa, you're really going out there!" Duo flipped backwards out of his chair in the low gravity and landed beside Heero, "Look, Quatre will be here any day now! There's no need to risk your neck on some stupid repairs. And what if something happens? We've only got one safety line despite the two space suits. It's a stupid and avoidable risk."  
  
Heero pushed him away and walked past him, "Worry about yourself. I don't need anyone watching over me. Besides, we're running low of food. A few more days could be all was have left."  
  
Duo watched as he walked away, marching to the door of the cockpit himself, one hand resting on the doorframe, "Fine! See if I care! Go get yourself killed! Maybe then I can get myself a decent partner!"  
  
Heero walked on down the narrow hall, seemingly ignoring him. He paused to make sure everything was zipped, snapped and sealed before attaching the long white rope, which would be his life line to the ship. "Open the outer door when the inner lock is secure." he called over the com unit in his helmet.  
  
"Do it yourself Mr. Herro- I can set my own broken leg -Yuy!"  
  
Heero grunted his disapproval of his friend's response and opened the inner air lock, closing it behind him. He waited as the small chamber between space and the ship was drained of oxygen then pressed the last opening sequence. The outer doors opened slowly, a sea of stars on a blanket of darkness greeting him on first sight. Beautiful.  
  
Duo watched as the side panel blinked a warning that the outer air lock was open. Well duh! Heero decided to pull some stupid stunt again. I am so going to laugh in his face if I'm right and something does go wrong.  
  
Duo looked over the control panel for any changes Heero might have inflicted with his 'repairs'. He noted with some worry that the pressure gage on the right engine valve was growing.   
  
"Oi, Heero. Stop whatever it is you're doing."   
  
"Duo, I know what I'm doing and I know what you're doing. Stop worrying, damit. I can handle things on my own."   
  
The pressure coulomb rose higher, "No, you can't. The right valve is reaching dangerous levels pressure wise and it you're not careful it could burst or leak out into the fuel drive causing an-"   
  
Explosion.   
  
The ship rocked and twisted in space, propelled forward by the blast. Duo winced as his body was thrown haphazardly in the harness with bruising, if not breaking, force. It took a long time for things to subside. Duo shook his head free of the jumbled alarms and flashing devices that swam around his head.   
  
"Damnit, Heero, I told you to leave it alone!: he shouted into the com when atlast his thoughts were clear. Silence replied.   
  
"Heero, answer me."   
  
"Heero this is no time to be mad at me!"   
  
Still nothing.   
  
"Heero you're scaring me."   
  
"Damnit Heero you had better not be dead! Do you hear me?!"   
  
Duo unbuckled himself and floated to the exit hatch. He saw the outer exit door open and the white cord that was attached to Heero. Heero wasn't on the other end. The white line reached out into space, it's former occupant no longer in sight let alone in toe.   
  
"Shit!" Duo grabbed himself a helmet and snapped it in place, leaning then out of the ship and grabbing hold of the white line for security. He opened his com line and set it to Heero's frequency, "Heero? Are you out there? Can you hear me? Heero, answer me!"   
  
He could see in the distance the shape of a white suit, falling further and further away from the ship with each second. Heero. The blast had to have thrown him at several hundred mph! Damnit, you would have to get thrown that far away, wouldn't you! Duo measured the full extent of the safety line and cursed. Much too short. Heero was a good forty feet away and still falling further. He couldn't save him with the rope. He couldn't save him period. I take it back. I'm not laughing. I don't want to be proven right. I don't want a new partner! "Heero... Heero I need for you to tell me your alive. I need you to say something. Anything."   
  
Heero was still silent. Duo screamed in outrage.   
  
"Heero you bastard! You couldn't just listen to me, could you? You had to be all big and bad. Damnit! I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! You're so selfish! Damn you, Heero!"   
  
Duo leaned out of the ship and grabbed a hold of it's hull, planting both feet against the cold hard surface. You don't have to do this, Duo. He's as good as gone. You don't need to risk your own neck to save him. He's probably already dead. So why are you doing this? Duo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, Because I think I love him. He pushed off with both feet, hard, sending himself into space unharnessed. Heero was flying faster than he was though. Duos popped open his left air tank, using the stream of air to propel himself further and faster. He grabbed a hold of Heero as he passed him, pulling him close with both arms.   
  
"You damn selfish bastard, look what you're making me do!" he cursed, turning around towards the ship again and this time popping the right air tank. He held his breath and concentrated on holding onto the limp form in his arms and aiming for the exit hatch of the ship. This was going to hurt. His body impacted with the exterior of the ship, a sharp cry of pain escaping him. Duo grabbed a hold of the hull blindly and threw off the remaining air tank. He edged his way towards the entrance of the ship, his head feeling light and his lungs ready to burst. Heero's dead weight didn't help matters much. He closed the exterior door as soon as he reentered the ship and ran to the inner lock, forcing it open and throwing his helmet away, taking deep breaths of the sterile tasting air.   
  
"You damned selfish bastard. You could have kill me!" he shouted to the limp form still sitting behind the inner lock. Duo crawled to him and unlatched his helmet. Heero's face was bloody, a long cut extending from his forehead and looping down to his left temple. Duo placed waiting fingers under Heero's chin and felt for a pulse. Nothing. He rested his cheek over Heero's lips. No breath escaped them. Duo lay Heero on the floor and pressed his hands down firmly on Heero's chest, manually pumping blood through his body. One.. two.. three.. four.. he counted to thirteen then raised Heero's chin and overlapped the blue lips with his mouth and blew as much air into him as possible. He repeated the heart compressions and breathing, over and over and over again.   
  
"Don't. You. Dare. Die. On. Me. Heero. Yuy. I. Will. Never. Forgive. You!"   
  
He lowered his face to Heero's once more and blew into his cold body. Suddenly, coughing. Duo pulled away and watched with joy as Heero rolled onto his side and coughed in great heaves. He reached out and pulled the short dark brown bangs from his face, his other hand reaching around to pull Heero towards him. Heero didn't fight. He crawled into Duo's arms and nestled his head in his chest, savoring the warmth of his body in contrast to his own, shivering one.   
  
"Shhh... you'll be alright now. I've got ya."   
  
Heero coughed and grasped tightly to his friend, "Du-Duo.."   
  
"It's okay, Heero. I forgive ya. Just don't ever do that again."   
  
Heero nodded and breathed unlabored as he drifted into sleep.   
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
